Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that (1) National Parks, (2) Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and (3) other such protected areas, are excluded as potential sites for the disposal of nuclear waste; and if so, how.

A Geological Disposal Facility will provide a permanent and safe solution for disposing of the UK’s inventory of higher activity radioactive waste. The Government recently consulted on a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for geological disposal infrastructure. This draft National Policy Statement follows the approach of the National Planning Policy Framework and all other non-site specific National Policy Statements, by not excluding all development in designated areas such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and other such protected areas. Rather, the proposed draft NPS sets out that development for a Geological Disposal Facility should only be consented in nationally designated areas in exceptional circumstances and where it would be in the public interest to do so. Even if such development were consented, the developer would be required to take a number of measures to protect and where possible improve the environment. Existing UK legislation already provides a high degree of protection for National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and other such protected areas; the proposed draft National Policy Statement reinforces this. The Government is currently analysing responses to the consultation on the draft National Policy Statement and will publish a response in due course.